Seagrass valuation from fish abundance, biomass and recreational catch. (November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jänes, Holger; Carnell, Paul; Young, Mary; Ierodiaconou, Daniel; Jenkins, Gregory P.; Hamer, Paul; Zu Ermgassen, Philine S.E.; Gair, Jonathan R.; Macreadie, Peter I.
• Is Part Of: Ecological indicators. Volume 130(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-11
• Subjects: Blue economy -- Coastal ecosystems -- Ecosystem services -- Ecosystem values -- Natural capital -- Recreational fishery; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environmental impact analysis -- Periodicals; Environmental risk assessment -- Periodicals; Sustainable development -- Periodicals; 333.71405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108097
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1470-160X

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: Current speed and wave orbital velocity are important indicators of fish abundance. A hectare of seagrass produces 110 – 1, 080 kg −1 of fish per year. A hectare of seagrass supports 69 – 865 fishing trips per year. Studied 6662 ha of seagrass are valued at AUD 36, 782 million annually. Abstract: The value of critical habitats, such as seagrass, to act as a nursery varies spatially and temporally; however, such information is essential for the public and stakeholders to appropriately value and manage these habitats. We use an existing systematic long-term fisheries dataset in Port Phillip Bay to examine variability in nursery habitat value for an important commercial and recreational species, King George Whiting ( Sillaginodes punctatus ). Port Phillip Bay represents one of the most important marine assets in the southern hemisphere and is surrounded by the second-largest city in Australia, Melbourne, home to 4.5 million people. We modelled the abundance of King George whiting as a function of environmental variables, using Boosted Regression Trees (BRT). Fish densities ranged from 1, 000 to 30, 000 individuals ha −1 y −1, equalling an adult biomass of 110–3, 300 kg ha −1 y −1 . This production supports between 69 and 2, 062 recreational fishing trips a year, with an estimated value of seagrass of AUD 687–20, 625 ha −1 y −1 . Based on biomass production of King George Whiting and recreational fisheries data, the 6662 ha of seagrass in Port Phillip Bay are valued at around AUD 36 million annually.